IDAHO FALLS — School districts in east Idaho are reminding patrons to cast their vote on supplemental levies March 14.
Residents within district boundaries are taxed to fund the levies. Supplemental levies are used to recruit and retain teachers and staff and to maintain school programs.
Idaho Falls School District 91
Administrators at Idaho Falls School District 91 are asking voters to renew a levy that has been supported since 1979. It generates about 12 percent of district’s general fund. It brings in $6.8 million a year. The levy amount has not changed since 2003.
“We didn’t increase it during those really hard economic years (2008-2010), and it wasn’t increased with those big state budget cuts. It’s been left at that $6.8 million,” Wimborne said in a Jan. 14 article.
This levy renewal will not raise voter taxes.
Bonneville School District 93
Bonneville School District 93 is issuing a supplemental levy renewal. The amount will increase from $3 million to $5.8 million.
The dollar amount of the levy is increasing, but taxpayers’ rates will not increase.
D93 CFO Guy Wangsgard told EastIdahoNews.com on Jan. 14 the tax rate will not increase because of the passing of a recent bond. When the bond for a new high school was approved, the tax rate increased to cover the cost of the school. Costs for the supplemental levy were included in that increase.
Superintendent Chuck Shackett said the growth in the community will keep the tax rate at a constant but give the district room to increase the levy.
“We have more people moving into our community, more people paying the taxes, so we’re able to collect more money if the voters approve the larger amount without raising the tax levy rate,” Shackett said.
Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25
The supplemental levy for Pocatello/Chubbuck School District is up for renewal for $9.25 million.
Taxpayers will be paying less because a bond was paid off several months ago. The now-paid bond issued 20 years ago was for the construction of Century High School and the renovation of Pocatello High School.
Blackfoot School District 55
The district’s current levy is $2.6 million and will be decreased to $2.15 million.
There is also a proposed plant levy for $600,000 that will run a 10-year term. The plant facility levy is only used for building maintenance and repair. The plant levy approval requires a 55 percent majority vote.
Fremont County Joint School District 215
School district officials in Fremont County are planning on a $1.5 million supplemental levy.
Its amount will remain the same as it has for the last two years.
As a result, officials say, if it passes there will be no tax increase for voters.
Go vote
Levies can be voted on March 14. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Administrators at Sugar-Salem School District 322 will suggest a supplemental levy to voters for the May Ballot. Teton, Madison, and Jefferson school districts are not having supplemental levy elections.
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